Switch-stand.



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[NI EN TOR UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MALCOLM W. LONG, OF HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE PENNSYLVANIA STEEL COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL- VANIA.

SWITCH-STAND Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 24, 1907.

To all whom "it may concern:

Be it known that I, MALCOLM W. LONG, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Harrisburg, Dauphin county, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switch- Stands, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, of which Figure 1 is an elevation of a switch-stand in which .10 my invention is embodied. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 22, Fig. 1, the operating lever being raised to the vertical position, thereby rotating the target shaft to position bringing the bolts securing the target shaft to the segment gear hub opposite the openings in the casing extension. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a similar section to Fig. 3, but showing the parts in the position of Fig. 2.

This invention relates to improvements in switchstands, more particularly to that class of switch-stand in which the vertical target or signal-operating shaft extends some distance above the stand proper, and its upper section is bolted to the hub of the usual segment gear within an extension of the casing of the stand; the object of the invention being to provide means where- 2 5 by the bolts securing said signal shaft to said hub extension cannot be removed, and so disconnect said parts when the lever-arm of the switch-stand is in either of its two normal horizontal positions, but which, when said lever-arm is raised to the vertical position, may be removed to disconnect said parts.

I have shown in the drawings a switch-stand that is well known upon the market as the New Century stand, and in connection with which my invention is illustrated. This switch-stand comprises a casing, I, in

which is journaled a horizontal shaft, 2, carrying at its free outer end the usual weighted lever-arm, 3, and at its inner end a beveled pinion, 4, engaging a segment gear, 5, secured to a vertical shaft, 6, journaled in said casing, and whose lower end is provided with a crank,

7, connected by a bar, 8, with the switch; all in the well known manner. The segment gear, 5, is provided with a hub extension, 9, passing upwardly through and journaled in the top of the casing, 1, and having extending into the upper end thereof the lower end of a vertical target or signal shaft, 10, said hub extension and shaft being secured together by through bolts, 11. The casing, 1 is provided with a tubular extension or housing, 12, rising from and secured upon said casing, 1, by bolts, 13; which tubular housing, 12, incases said shaft, 10. The said tubular housing is provided with opposite openings or slots, 14, in such relation to the heads of the bolts 13'and the nuts on the opposite ends thereof, that, when the lever-arm 3 is in either normal horizontal position, as in Fig. 1, the ends of the bolts will be within said tubular housing; that is, out of alinement with said slot, 14, as seen in Fig. 3, so that the shaft cannot, when said lever-arm is in either horizontal position, be disconnected from said hub extension, 9; but if the lever-arm, 3, be lifted to the elevated position as in Fig. 2, the segment gear, 5, and signal shaft, 6, will be brought to the position illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4; that is, the bolts, 11, will be brought in alinement with the slots, 14, so that the nuts may be removed therefrom, and the bolts removed, and so the signal shaft and hub extension 9, disconnected when desired. It will be obvious that by this construction tampering with the connections between the signal shaft and the segment gear is prevented when the operating lever-arm, 3, is in the normal position.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new 7 0 and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In a switch-stand, the combination with the casing, of the horizontal shaft journaled therein, and having the lever-arm thereon, the horizontally rotatable gear within said casing, driving connections between said gear and said horizontal shaft, the vertical hub extension of said gear, the vertical signal shaft fitted to said hub extension, the bolts securing the said hub extension and signal shaft together, the housing inclosing the said shaft and hub extension, and provided with slots in line with the axes of said bolts when the lever-arm is brought to vertical position, but out of alinement therewith when said lever-arm is in either horizontal position, substantially as set forth.

2. In a switch-stand, of the class recited, the casing, the horizontally rotatable gear journaled in said casing, means for rotating said gear, the vertical tubular hub extension projecting upwardly from said gear through said casing, the vertical signal shaft fitted within said tubular extension, the through bolts securing said shaft and tubu' lar extension together, the housing mounted on said casing and inclosing said signal shaft and hub extension, the slots in said housing arranged in such relation to said bolts that when said shaft and gear are rotated to an abnormal position said bolts will come into alinement with said slots, but which bolts, when the parts are in either normal position will be within the housing and out of alinement with said slots, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto affixed my signature.

MALCOLM W. LONG.

Witnesses WM. M. HENDERSON, WM. R. MILLER. 

